Shadow of the Wolf
by Gemini14
Summary: Semi AU. After the final battle against Shishio, yet before the fires in Mt. Hiei have a chance to die down, Sojiro finds himself drawn to a mystery. What connection does he have to the late Okita Soshi? And why is Saito reacting so strangely to him?
1. Out of the Flames

Shadow of the Wolf

Chapter One: Out of the Flames

Something made him stop. For a moment, Sojiro paused, looking back at the path behind him. It hadn't been thirty minutes since he'd last seen Anji and Houji when something, he wasn't sure what, called him.

"_But there's nothing back there_…………._or is there?_" Sojiro mused, as he started walking back to the spot where the other two Juppongatana members had been. When he got there, he was stunned by who he saw lying there face down in the clearing. He knew this person from another encounter………..in Shingetsu Village.

"_It's Saito Hajime! But how did he get here?! Where are Himura-san and the other guys?_" Sojiro wondered, as he rushed over and turned the ex-Shinsengumi over. His stomach turned when he saw the wounds; burns and damage from the Gurenkaina, an X-shaped wound on the chest, a deep gash in his right shoulder, and two equally deep wounds in both of his legs.

"_Shishio-san caused most of these wounds. I can tell. The pain and the smoke must have overwhelmed him. Yet it's amazing that he had made it this far at all._" Sojiro thought, as he felt for a pulse. His eyes widened when he found one; it was weak, but it was there nonetheless.

"_Amazing. Absolutely amazing. He got out of that inferno alive_……….._His will to live is incredible._" Sojiro again thought, narrowing his eyes in concern when he felt an unusual amount of heat rising from the older man's prone form.

"A fever…………..I must see about getting him someplace where his wounds can be tended to." Sojiro murmured, as he carefully picked up and shouldered the wounded Wolf's lithe frame. He flinched when Saito uttered a slight groan of pain, but eased when the wounded swordsman didn't awaken. Then he heard the Wolf utter some words that aroused some curiosity in Sojiro.

"Okita-kun………..leave the Battousai to me." Saito muttered, almost too softly for Sojiro to hear.

"_Okita? Did he mean Soshi Okita, Captain of the First Unit of the Shinsengumi?_" Sojiro wondered, not really knowing why this had awakened such interest in him. This was something he would have to look into later………

When Saito came to, countless hours later, he found himself in unfamiliar surroundings.

"I see you're awake, Saito-san." A male voice stated, as the owner smiled calmly at him from beside a roaring fire. They were now inside of an old, yet fairly well kept, hut. Saito could hear rain falling on the thatched roof above him from where he lay.

"Aa. Where am I?" Saito asked, wincing when his throat protested against talking.

"Just outside of the Kyoto city limits. I couldn't quite carry you all the way back, though." The young man said, as he offered to help Saito sit up a little bit so he could drink some water from a stoneware mug. Saito reluctantly accepted the help, despite his pride, much to the younger man's relief.

"I must have passed out after escaping from the Inferno Room…………hmph. Guess I'd better be glad that the Battousai, Rooster, and Icicle didn't see me like that." Saito muttered, coolly, his throat soothed by the water somewhat. The young man nodded in understanding. For a brief moment, Saito was taken back to the days of his time in the Shinsengumi. The young man across from him reminded him, in more ways than just his physical appearance, of an old friend.

"You called yourself the 'Tenken', correct?" Saito asked. The younger man jumped, managed an alarmed look, then calmed down and gave him a tired smile.

"Hai. Tenken no Sojiro was my name. Now it's just Seta Sojiro." The young man replied, quietly.

"I take it that the Battousai spared your life?" Saito added. Sojiro nodded, yet gave him a confused look when a slight, ironic smile crossed Saito's features.

"_I should have known_…………_Count on my nemesis to make things that much more difficult._" Saito thought, bitterly. He'd had enough reminders of the Bakumatsu for the last couple of hours without Sojiro adding to it.

"Saito-san?" Sojiro asked, startling Saito from his thoughts, somewhat.

"Keep watch. There may be more Juppongatana wandering around that still claim loyalty to your deceased master." Saito said, coldly, before relaxing again into slumber, leaving a confused Sojiro sitting there.

Sojiro watched as Saito slept, still trying to sort out just what had happened just then. During the short exchange, Sojiro could have sworn that a look of……………of what? Regret? Sorrow? Grief? Had crossed Saito's face.

"_What was he thinking of just now? Was he thinking of Okita? If so, then why? What does Okita Soshi have to do with me?_" Sojiro wondered. There would be no answers forthcoming from Saito, since the Wolf of Mibu was unconscious again, and was incredibly stubborn about letting go of information…………not that Sojiro knew that personally, or anything.


	2. Fuel to the Fire of Curiosity

Chapter Two: Fuel to the Fire of Curiosity

__

A man in Shinsengumi regalia stands near a gateway with a bundle in his arms. His eyes are tired and sorrowful as he hands the bundle to a rough-looking man.

"Please take care of him, Seta-san. This is the only time I will ask something like this of you." The man said, with beseeching in his voice and immense sadness in his eyes as he watched the rough man cradle the bundle in one arm.

"I'll do that. But what should I say to my wife?" the rough man asked, as the bundle gave a soft cry at being disturbed.

"I don't know. I'm sure you'll think of something. But I don't want my son to die at the hands of the Ishin Shishi. Please take care of him till I return for him." The man said, as he gently brushed aside the rough blanket, and touched the face of the toddler tucked inside of it.

"I promise, Soshi-kun. I'll watch over him." The rough man promised, gruffly. With much reluctance, the Shinsengumi departed; casting a final glance over his shoulder as he went.

Sojiro awoke to find himself still within the hut. With a shake of his head, he shook off the disorientation he'd felt upon awakening and checked on Saito. He was dismayed when he found that the fever was still there.

"_He's still feverish. I'll have to go into town soon to find a doctor if it doesn't break on its own._" Sojiro thought, even though common sense told him not to. There was no one else to watch over Saito if he went into Kyoto, and he could get caught between here and there by either the police (who were out looking for Juppongatana members) or the remaining Juppongatana members themselves.

"_And I'm not exactly in any shape to fight either. I got hit by Himura-san's ultimate attack, so I am sure I have a few cracked ribs to add to my already large collection of bruises, past and present._" Sojiro thought, with some sarcasm on his part. Then the memory of the dream he'd just had returned; he'd recognized the 'gruff man' from the dream as being his father, but who had the Shinsengumi and the toddler been?

"_Had Oto-san taken in anyone else's child before I arrived there? I don't remember them saying anything about another child that was not their own before me. But, then again, it was a long time ago_………………_maybe it was something mentioned when I wasn't around?_" Sojiro mused, looking down when Saito shifted slightly, then started mumbling under his breath. As before, the name Okita was one of the words he heard Saito use, but this time the image of the Shinsengumi warrior from the dream lingered in Sojiro's mind.

"_But why is that man's face so clear to me? And why had Oto-san called him 'Soshi-kun'? It couldn't have been the same Soshi that was the leader of the Shinsengumi-s First Unit!_…………………._Could it?_" Sojiro wondered, looking down and finding to his shock that Saito's eyes were open and gazing blankly at him.

"Saito-san?" Sojiro asked, hoping against hope that the older man's fever had broken.

"Okita-kun, what are the orders from Hijikata? Do we move out tonight?" Saito asked, making it very apparent that he was delirious from the fever. Sojiro could have been knocked over with a feather; Saito, in his illness, had just mistaken him for Okita Soshi!

"N-no. Not tonight, Saito-san. We have a night to rest, for once." Sojiro said, shaken to the very marrow of his bones by this, for some reason yet unknown to him. Saito sighed in frustration.

"Everything seems too quiet………the calm before the storm, perhaps?" Saito mumbled.

"_I hope not._" Sojiro silently answered, but said instead, "I don't know."

"Hmph. We'll find out soon enough. Any word on that son of yours?" Saito asked, conversationally. The color drained from Sojiro's face for a moment, then he collected himself and shook his head.

"Iie. Not a thing." Sojiro replied, shakily.

"Well, one can only hope for the best…………..Wake me when it's time for my watch." Saito muttered, before finally settling back into fevered slumber. Sojiro could only sit where he was and stare at the Wolf, thoroughly shaken by the conversation that had just taken place. True, Saito's mind had been dominated by the fever, but what he'd said only deepened Sojiro's curiosity as to why he reminded the Wolf of Okita.

"_I guess I will have to ask him when he's in his right mind._" Sojiro thought, as he dipped a rag into a pale of cold water and placed it on Saito's brow. He was unaware that someone was watching them from the shadows of the forest, with only evil on its mind for the two wounded swordsmen.

Pain was the first thing Saito became aware of when he next regained consciousness. His whole body was sore, and seemed to throb in time with his heartbeat.

"_I hate to admit it, but I feel horrible._" Saito thought, as he opened his eyes and looked at Sojiro. The boy swordsman was leaned against the wall, gazing quietly at the falling rain. From what he could tell, it was daylight once again, since gray light filtered in through the gaps in the makeshift cloth door.

"Still no sign of any trouble?" Saito asked, barely suppressing a smirk when Sojiro jumped and whirled around to face him.

"No trouble as of yet, Saito-san. Yet it's still too soon to tell. I think we both know that this isn't going to be resolved overnight." Sojiro replied, logically. Saito sighed; he knew that all too well.

"Nothing from the Bakumatsu has been totally resolved yet. It'll take the time beyond our lifetimes to actually see it completely finished." Saito stated, noticing with some confusion and irritation when Sojiro sighed in what sounded like relief. He glared at the youth to let him know this.

"Gomen, Saito-san." Sojiro said, then added, "I don't suppose anything from the Bakumatsu is resolved yet, since some ghosts take longer to exorcise than others." Saito agreed, wholeheartedly. Shishio had proven to be quite a challenge to get rid of; and it had nearly cost him, Himura, Sagara, and Shinomori their lives. But he wasn't about to admit that; the pride of being a Wolf of Mibu prevented it.

"By the way, Saito-san, how do you feel? I should have asked you that first off." Sojiro said, as concern filled his deep blue eyes.

"I've felt better." Saito reluctantly admitted. He quirked up an eyebrow when Sojiro's expression changed into an ironic one.

"As have I. Himura-san's final attack isn't something to be mocked, I'll tell you that much." Sojiro said, wincing when he leaned back against the wall. Saito growled.

"Then neither of us is in any shape to repulse an attack if one comes. How far are we from Kyoto?" Saito asked.

"A little over three miles. Not very far, but far enough to make walking painful. In the state you're in, you can't walk at all." Sojiro pointed out, receiving a rather caustic glare from the Wolf in response. Then, before anything more could be said, something burst into the hut, swinging a blade as it went.

"For the glory of Shishio-sama!" the man screamed, as he dove at Saito and Sojiro. With a move that was almost as fast as Kenshin's Hiten Mitserugi, Sojiro grabbed his sword, unsheathed it, and blocked a blow that was aimed at his head. Sojiro could hear when Saito loosed his blade, and, much to his dismay, stood to face their enemy.

"Aku Soku Zan……….." Saito snarled, before launching into a Gatotsu that sent the man, and two others that had just arrived, flying.

"_Aku Soku Zan_………………._The code of the Shinsengumi and the Ishin Shishi_………._Is this what those who'd burned Shishio-san were thinking?_" Sojiro wondered, as he and Saito fought side by side.

"_I think you know the answer, Sojiro._" A male voice murmured, at the back of Sojiro's mind. Sojiro froze; just whose voice had that been just now?!

"_Never mind that. Just get yourself and Saito-san to safety. Protect your life and his to the best of your ability. That is all a Wolf of Mibu can do for now._" The voice commanded, softly. Almost, Sojiro noticed, with fatherly authority.

"_I'll think about this later. For now_…………." Sojiro thought, then shouted, "Saito-san, follow me!" Sojiro cried, as he led the way out. Without a single word of argument, the older man followed; knowing he was far too weak to fight for an extended period of time.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Tenken!" Saito muttered, as they both flew through the woods at breakneck speed, trying to escape their pursuers.

"Please trust me, Saito-san! I'll get us out of this somehow!" Sojiro replied. He didn't notice when Saito let slip a slight smile.

"_So much like you, Okita-kun. Too much so. But we'll soon see how much of you he got later._" Saito thought, as they ran through the forest, disappearing into the gloom like two ghosts.

Author's Note!

I know that some things may be off, but please, keep an open mind. More to come, I promise!


	3. Fang of the Wolf

Chapter Three: Fang of the Wolf

"I think we lost them, Saito-san…………" Sojiro gasped, when he and the last Wolf of Mibu stopped to catch their breaths a couple of hours later.

"Either that, or they are regrouping somewhere. This is only a temporary reprieve, either way." Saito stated, growling in pain when his legs protested against any further movement. Sojiro nodded in understanding. They both knew that the moment to rest would be short-lived, but neither of them knew when it would be broken.

"In any case, I left what bandages and salves I had in that hut. We'll have to wait till we can get back to Kyoto to change the bandages on your legs, chest, and shoulder. Can you hold up till then?" Sojiro asked, honestly concerned about the elder warrior.

"I should be able to. It's as I told the Rooster; I've been through more life or death struggles than he has. Or you, for that matter." Saito muttered, as he sat down on a boulder, but not before carefully putting his katana back in its sheath.

"Saito-san, may I ask you something?" Sojiro questioned, as he sat across from the Wolf.

"Go ahead." Saito mumbled, as he searched his pockets for a dry cigarette.

"Do I remind you of Soshi Okita in any way?" Sojiro asked, flinching when Saito fumbled the box of cigarettes, yet managed to catch it before it could land in the wet grass in front of him.

"Why do you ask me that?" Saito in turn asked, trying to keep his voice and face as neutral as possible.

"Well………….last night…………in the midst of your fever…………you mistook me for him. You also mentioned him having a son…………." Sojiro replied, uncertainly. He looked on in surprise when Saito slapped a hand to his face.

"Saito-san?" Sojiro asked.

"Never mind. Anyway, it seems that I will have to tell you now." Saito said, disturbed by this decision, yet having no other choice in the matter.

"Tell me what?" Sojiro asked, tensely.

"Soshi Okita had a small family, before he joined the Shinsengumi. The Ishin Shishi killed his wife when they tried to evacuate from the town they'd lived in. His son survived, but he had to be given to some caretakers. It was for the boy's safety, if nothing else. The only one Okita told the secret to was me; he always wondered if he did the right thing, and was tortured by that decision even till his death. I have the suspicion that you are his son, Tenken. If so, then I am to safeguard your life from here on out." Saito said, gauging Sojiro's reaction by watching the younger man's face. At first, there was shock, then incredible sadness, then something akin to determination appeared.

"Saito-san, I have done terrible things over the past ten years, and I can't possibly atone for them all………..and I have dishonored Soshi Okita's memory without even realizing it. If you see fit to kill me, then go ahead. I won't stop you from carrying out Aku Soku Zan." Sojiro said, ashamed of what he'd done, and knowing that the only punishment for it was death. Saito gave him a stern look.

"Baka. You are your father's son, all right." Saito grumbled, as he got to his feet again, hiding a wince when sharp pain went through his legs as he did so. Sojiro remained where he was, gazing uncertainly at the Wolf as he put the box of cigarettes back in his pocket.

"Well? Are you coming or not?" Saito asked, with some irritation in his voice. This jolted the younger man into action.

"H-hai!" Sojiro replied, as he followed Saito out of the clearing, and back into the woods. And, they hoped, back towards civilization.

Sojiro's mind was filled with confusion as he and Saito moved as stealthily as they could along the forest paths.

"_He let me live_…………._but why? Is it because I am Soshi Okita's son? Is that his reason?_" Sojiro wondered, then shook his head to clear it. Any distractions right now could prove fatal, and he needed to be ever on the alert in case another attack came. Then another, burning question came to his mind; just where had the sword he was carrying now come from? He looked down and grasped the pommel of the sheathed katana at his waist, as though to reassure himself that it was indeed real.

"_I remember now that Himura-san had broken my sword, and that I had given the wakizashi back to Shishio-san. Just where had I come across this sword?_" Sojiro mused, as he gazed at the weapon thoughtfully. Then the image of the man in his dream returned, and this time he could see the swords at the man's waist.

"_But that's impossible! How could someone long dead give me a sword when I most desperately need it?! It just doesn't make sense!_" Sojiro's mind yelped, as the implications dawned on him. Somehow or another, Okita was providing him with the means to protect himself beyond the grave. Little did he realize that this was also crossing Saito's mind as well.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the woods, a member of the Juppongatana sat. Fury and bloodlust were in his eyes as he thought of the botched attack on the wounded Wolf and ex-Juppongatana.

"Kuroi-sama! I am sorry, but we have lost them!" another Juppongatana member gasped, as he wearily kneeled before the vengeful man.

"Then find them. I want that Wolf and the traitor dead. Now go. And do not fail me again." The vengeful man growled. With a quick bow, the second man dashed off, not wanting to feel his superior's wrath again. Alone again, the man known only as Kuroi glared in the direction of Mt. Hiei, thinking of what he would do to the Tenken should their paths cross again.

"_Just wait and see, you little bastard. We'll see who was truly worthy of being Shishio-sama's right hand. Just wait and see._" Kuroi thought, as the distant flames were reflected in his crimson eyes.

Author's Note!

Yes, yes, I know. This chapter was way too short. If anybody has some good ideas as to how this story could progress, please e-mail me and let me know! Some input would be very helpful! Thanks! ;;;;;;;;;


	4. Foreshadowing of Evil

Chapter Four: Foreshadowing of Evil

__

It was late afternoon, as two men walked side by side down the street. One man, who was a bit shorter than his companion, would occasionally make offhand remarks about everyday things. The other would quietly listen, much like an elder brother would listen to the endless chatter of a younger sibling.

"Okita-kun, there is something on your mind, isn't there?" the quiet man asked, noticing the nervousness in the other man's manner.

"Huh? Why do you think that, Saito-san?" Okita asked, shakily, a little alarmed that his friend and comrade had seen right through his mask.

"It's the way you're acting; not your usual, overly genki self." Saito muttered, giving Okita his equivalent of a deadpan look. Okita smiled, releasing a nervous laugh while he was at it.

"I guess you've seen right through my deception, Saito-san. It seems I now owe you an explanation." Okita said, as he sat down on a grassy, sunlit knoll, and waited for the other Shinsengumi to join him. Slightly confused, yet not willing to show it, Saito sat down beside Okita and waited for the other man to begin explaining why he was so nervous.

"Saito-san, I suppose it would surprise you that I have a son." Okita began, looking directly at Saito when he said that.

"Not exactly, but, then again, quite a few of the older captains have families. Why? Are you concerned about the boy?" Saito asked. He was a little surprised when Okita nodded.

"I left him in the care of some friends of my family. They're rice merchants, and quite well-to-do. But………………_" Okita trailed off, as uncertainty appeared on his usually smiling face._

"But what? Are you having second thoughts?" Saito asked, guessing what was on the other man's mind.

"Hai………….._Saito-san, I've suddenly got a very bad feeling. Something terrible is going to happen. Not this year, or maybe not even the next, but something bad is going to happen to my son. And I won't be around to help him_…………_Saito-san, I want you to promise me something." Okita said, in a serious tone Saito had never heard before._

"What is it, Okita-kun?" Saito questioned, surprised by this turn of events.

"When the bad thing does happen, go and find my son. And when you find him, protect him. I know you and my cousin Tokio can do that much and more. Protect him from the danger I cannot see or defend him from. Please promise me that much, my friend." Okita said, as some desperation filled his blue eyes. For a moment, Saito was taken aback by Okita's plea; then he sighed and nodded.

"I promise, my friend. I'll find your son and protect him to the best of my ability. What name does your son go by?" Saito asked, as they both stood and dusted themselves off. Okita smiled in relief.

"His given name is Okita Sojiro. But he'll more than likely answer to the name Seta Sojiro when you do find him." Okita replied, his smile now a mixture of sadness, bitterness, and relief.

"Seta Sojiro……………._I will remember it. When I do find him, what should I tell him of you?" Saito asked, again. Okita shrugged._

"Tell him what you want, Saito-san. I just wish I could go out and find him myself. But current events prevent me from doing so." Okita murmured, as they started the walk back to the Shinsengumi headquarters.

"Hitokiri Battousai. As always, he stands in the way of a lot of things." Saito muttered, with a little irritation in his voice as he said that. Okita chuckled at his friend's expense.

"Even your return to Tokio-san?" Okita joked, getting what would later be a patented death-look (in other words an 'Omae o korosu' look) from Saito in response.

"Shut up." Saito grumbled, getting more laughter from Okita as a result.

With snarled curses, Saito ran through the night. Four years had passed since he'd promised Okita that he'd find his lost son, and now he rushed towards the one of the only remaining places he knew where a rice merchant and his family lived. The feeling of dread that his comrade had felt years before was now settled firmly in Saito's mind, and was intensified when his nostrils caught the overwhelming scent of freshly-spilled blood. In a whirl of blue and white, Saito leaped over the wall and landed with almost feline grace in the yard in front of one of the rice sheds. He wasn't prepared for what he saw next. There, lying in mangled heaps, lay the remaining members of the Seta clan. Even despite the experience he'd had in the Shinsengumi, Saito had never seen something like this.

"These wounds were caused by a wakizashi. Only someone in extreme desperation and fear could have done something like this." Saito thought, as he began searching for more clues to the boy's whereabouts. He came up empty-handed.

"I'm sorry, Okita-kun. I couldn't find him here………………._But I'll continue searching, regardless." Saito silently promised, before leaving the yard the way he'd come._

"_And now my search has come to an end._" Saito mused, when he and Sojiro had stopped to catch their breaths and take a good look around. He could tell they were getting closer to the city, since they were starting to see more homes along the path they were taking. But they were still a good distance off from where they needed to be.

"Are you all right, Saito-san?" Sojiro asked, having noticed how pale the Wolf looked.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Worry more about how many more 'visits' we're going to get from your former allies." Saito replied, curtly. Sojiro nodded, as he wiped down his katana with a rag. He knew as well as Saito did that they had not seen the last of the Juppongatana.

"_Or whatever those upstarts call themselves._" Sojiro thought, sourly. In just the past few hours alone, they had been attacked a little more than ten times; yet each time, the true culprit had yet to appear.

"Whoever is in charge of the remainder is biding his time. Trying to wear us down so we'll be easier to pick off………………… Hmph. He knows his tactics, but he's wasting his time." Saito muttered, as he glanced warily around, sheathed his katana, then sat down.

"I agree with you on that one, Saito-san. But it seems that part of his plan is still succeeding………..he's wearing us down." Sojiro stated, as he also sat down, wincing a little when he tried to breathe too deeply.

"Let me take a look at that chest of yours'. As much as I hate to admit it, it's starting to concern me." Saito muttered, as he stuck a cigarette into his mouth, lit it, and waited. Gingerly, Sojiro unbuttoned the Western-style shirt he wore under his traditional shirt and allowed the Wolf to take a good close look at his ribs. Saito almost cringed when he saw Sojiro's chest; a long, dark bruise extended across it, from the lower right side to his collarbone.

"Damn. That had to have cracked some ribs, or worse." Saito muttered, as he felt along each rib for breaks, feeling something akin to dismay each time he found one that was broken. 

"I think it did. But it wasn't the full force Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki……Himura-san toned it down a bit." Sojiro said, sensing some anger towards the former hitokiri coming from Saito and making the effort to calm him down.

"Still, it did a number on you. I'm surprised you're even able to stand, much less fight." Saito said, as he allowed Sojiro to button the shirt back up again.

"Well, I want to be able to live long enough to see peaceful times……………and possibly protect them as well. It's about all I can do, to pay for what I have done." Sojiro murmured, getting a slight sigh of exasperation from Saito as a response.

"Right now I can't decide whether you sound like your father, or sound like the Battousai. Both of them, at some point or another, have said something like that along the line." Saito grumbled. Sojiro chuckled softly, much to the Wolf's annoyance.

"Maybe that's why you don't like Himura-san. He reminds you too much of Okita-san!" Sojiro teased.

"Shut up." Saito mumbled, giving the younger swordsman the same look he'd given Okita years before.

Not too far away, Kuroi waited with the few men that had returned from the last attack. He could tell that many of them were too frightened to even consider another attack, quickly dispatching them with one swing of the scythe he carried, sending their headless bodies toppling.

"I have no use for fools or cowards. If none of you can kill a wounded dog and a traitor, then I will do it myself. Wait for me here." Kuroi snarled, before walking off into the woods, becoming all but lost to the remaining lackeys' vision within seconds of entering the shadows.


	5. Putting Evil to Rest

Chapter Five: Putting Evil to Rest

Something within him told him to stop. Deep within Sojiro's mind, a warning cry seemed to make him freeze in his tracks; and it was apparent that Saito was sensing the same thing.

"It's close, whatever it is..." Saito murmured, having noticed Sojiro's unease, and getting a nod from the younger swordsman as a response.

"_I'd only felt this ki once or twice before_..._Usually when Shishio-san was around_..._It feels almost like_...!" Sojiro thought, before he was forced to parry a blow from above; hiding a wince when the vibrations traveled down his arms and into his injured ribs.

"Saito-san!" Sojiro shouted, when he heard a snarl from Saito, and saw him sink to one knee, struggling to hold a gash in his side closed as he fell.

"I see you have sided with the enemy, Tenken." a low voice growled, as the owner of it emerged from the growing shadows before him.

"Kuroi of the Owl Clan...I thought you'd died while on patrol sometime back." Sojiro retorted, as he stood in front of the wounded cop with his sword bared. Kuroi sneered.

"As though a measly bunch like that could kill me? Feh. They were hardly even worth my time." Kuroi said, watching Sojiro's wary stance for anything that would hint at an easy distraction and an opportunity to kill.

"_Don't let him goad you, son._" Okita's voice murmured, in the back of Sojiro's mind.

"_Father?_" Sojiro asked, barely believing that the deceased leader of the First Shinsengumi unit was there within him.

"_Don't worry. Stay strong, and protect Saito-san._" Okita ordered, gently; getting a mental nod from the young man in response.

"_I will. You can count on me, Tou-san._" Sojiro responded, as a deadly calm emerged in his deep blue eyes.

"So, come to terms with the fact that you are about to die, traitor?" Kuroi asked, when he'd noticed the change in Sojiro's demeanor. The former 'right hand' of Makoto Shishio shook his head, and gave Kuroi a semblance of his old smile.

"How can I be a traitor to Shishio Makoto when I am not the same Sojiro that had stood by his side?" Sojiro questioned, his ki now getting Saito's attention; startling him in the fact that it was becoming almost exactly like his father's!

"_There is no mistake now, Okita-kun. This is indeed your son_..._I can only hope I can get his name cleared of the assassination of Okubo_..." Saito mused, looking up and smirking when he saw rage appear on the assassin's face.

"What do you mean by that?.! You are the Tenken, are you not?.!" Kuroi again asked, as madness entered his eyes. Sojiro only smiled, yet betrayed a deadly calm when he tightened his grip on his sword.

"I am Okita Sojiro, son of the captain of the First Shinsengumi Unit Okita Soshi...and you, Kuroi, are the one who is about to die." Sojiro said, coldly, before disappearing in a flash; his almost godlike speed bringing certain death to the one who had done so much harm to both him and Saito in the last couple of days. With a scream, Kuroi leaped to avoid the first strike; unleashing his own brand of inhuman speed and clashing with the younger swordsman in midair. And, as on a few occasions before in the past, Saito suddenly found himself as a spectator in a very crucial moment in his life.

"_It's like watching a Wolf of Mibu be reborn right before my eyes_..." Saito thought, watching, with some degree of shock, as the youth nimbly adjusted his grip on his father's sword, and unleashed a Hiratsuki into Kuroi's defenses; sending his opponent hurtling into some of the brush beside the path that led into the city.

"_In some ways, it is, Saito-san._" Okita's bemused voice stated, as a ghostly version of him appeared alongside Saito and watched the battle.

"_Feh. I just wonder what the police chief is going to think of this? How will I convince them to clear your son's name?_" Saito asked, as at a loss about the problem now as he had been in the beginning. Okita only turned and gave him an enigmatic smile.

"_Don't worry. It'll work itself out. In fact, it may just have. You heard what he'd called himself just now, didn't you?_" Okita replied, as Saito nodded.

"_I did. He is no longer the same young man the Battousai and I had met in Shingetsu Village_..._It is now safe to say that 'Seta Sojiro' has ceased to exist._" Saito mused, thoughtfully.

"_Aa. And he is now who he was supposed to be to begin with_..._Okita Sojiro._" Okita murmured, then gave his former comrade an almost teary smile.

"_Arigato, Saito-san._" Okita said, with his first genuinely happy smile during all that time.

"_Don't mention it._" Saito replied, looking up when he heard Sojiro utter one last growl, and smiled when he heard the words that had just been uttered under a calm, deadly breath.

"Aku...Soku...Zan..."

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

It was early in the morning, several days after the battles in Mt. Hiei, that the police chief of Kyoto's police force, and several of his underlings came upon an unusual sight emerging from the morning mists.

"Lieutentant Fujita! There you are! Where the blazes have you been?.! That wife of yours' has been so...!" the chief yelped, then froze when he saw that the cop was carrying what appeared to be a person in his arms.

"Who...? Is that Okubo's...?" the chief asked, trailing off when he got a deadly glare from the cop as a response.

"No. It isn't, chief. This happens to be the son of a good friend of mine. He got caught in the 'crossfire' on my way back from the mountain, and needs a doctor's attention." Saito, as the cop so happened to be, growled, irritably.

"And it looks as though you could use some medical attention yourself, Lieutenant. There's a clinic close to the station; check yourself and the lad in there, and get those wounds seen to. That will be all." the chief said, understanding the look in those amber eyes and not wishing to cross the ex-Shinsengumi captain at that point in time. He got a nod as a response, and then Saito continued walking.

"_It seems I will be able to live up to that promise after all, old friend._" Saito thought; struggling not to breathe a sigh of relief as he headed in the direction of the help both he and Sojiro desperately needed.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

_**Author's Note!**_

**_I am so, so sorry about the long wait, minna. This year has not been a kind one (the loss of my job last year, the inability to get a new one, the loss of internet access, _****_and_****_ family problems have prevented me from updating as much as I would have liked). I have not forgotten this story (and I fully intend to finish it!) And I am sorry it had seemed like I had. I hope this was worth the wait, and again, I am truly sorry to have made everybody wait so long. Thanks for your patience, minna!_**

_**Gemini14**_


	6. Peace at Last

Chapter Six: Peace at Last

It seemed as though ages had passed, since Sojiro could remember being conscious. Vaguely, he recalled a few occasions when his feverish mind had been partially aware, and the pain he'd felt during those fleeting moments...and yet, then again, he could also remember the sight of Saito Hajime's aquiline face appearing briefly as well, and the concern he had seen in those amber eyes of his. The only things he could really clearly remember were his fight against Kuroi, and then passing out.

"_Where am I? Did Saito-san carry me here?_" Sojiro wondered, as he slowly opened his eyes, and looked around. He was lying on a futon within what he felt certain was some sort of clinic; his wounds had been cleaned and bandaged, and a cold compress was on his forehead.

"Are you awake, Okita-san?" a woman's voice asked, gently, as the owner of it appeared before him. At first, the name didn't register in Sojiro's mind; then the recent memory of what was said during his battle against Kuroi returned, as did his declaration of his true name.

"Hai...Gomen for sleeping so long." Sojiro replied, softly, smiling warmly when the woman shook her head ruefully.

"You don't have to apologize, Okita-san. You needed the rest." the woman stated, gently, then asked, "How do you feel, by the way?"

"Much better, thank you. My fever seems to be gone now." Sojiro responded, letting the woman put a hand to his brow, just to be sure. She breathed a sigh of what seemed to be relief when she found this to be true.

"Thank goodness. We thought we were going to lose you there, on a few occasions. It's a good thing you had such a strong will to live." the woman stated, sounding as relieved as she now allowed herself to look.

"_It's all thanks to Tou-san and Saito-san, really._" Sojiro thought, yet smiling quietly, nonetheless.

"Good to see that you're finally conscious, Sojiro-kun." Saito's voice stated, as the tall cop strode confidently into the room; his stride almost completely unaffected by the wounds in his legs.

"Fujita-san! What are you doing up?.!" the nurse asked, as she gave the feral-eyed cop a startled look.

"Checking on my charge, of course." Saito replied, coolly; hiding his relief with his usual aloof manner.

"Ohayo, Saito-san. Going somewhere?" Sojiro asked, tilting his head to one side in curiosity; inadvertently giving himself the appearance of a curious puppy while doing so. He could see that the cop was once again dressed in a blue uniform, but this one was brand new; no sign of battle damage or bloodstains to be seen. Saito smirked.

"Aa. But I'm not going alone. You're going to be traveling with me back to Tokyo." Saito announced, surprising Sojiro with that.

"Why?" Sojiro and the nurse asked, in unison, before the nurse continued.

"You should know that he isn't really ready for travel, Fujita-san. His fever only just broke a short while ago!" the nurse said, with a touch of anger in her voice.

"Onna, it's not like I'm going to make him walk all the way there. We're going to be traveling by coach." Saito muttered, the last part of his comment an implied 'shut up or else' that made the irate woman fall silent.

"But Saito-san, why Tokyo?" Sojiro asked, confusedly.

"My wife will want to meet you." Saito said, with an air of impatience in his manner, as he turned a vaguely irritated gaze to the youth that sat before him.

"You wife? Why?" Sojiro questioned.

"She's your father's cousin...In other words, your only remaining blood-relative." Saito replied; hiding a genuine smile when realization dawned in the younger man's eyes.

"What's her name, Saito-san? Does she know about me? Were she and Tou-san close?" Sojiro asked, his questions coming out in a rush and his curiosity brimming.

"Feh. Come with me and see for yourself." Saito muttered, smirking as he turned and left the room. As quickly as he could, Sojiro gathered what he was going to need for the trip, hurriedly thanked and bowed to the nurse and doctor who ran the clinic, then rushed off after Saito. In no uncertain terms, Sojiro was being given a second chance at peace...and he was determined not to let it slip away.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Tokio looked up from the sewing she was doing when a knock sounded at the door. It was fairly late in the evening, and the last of the neighbors that had agreed to keep her company (in other words, protect her) had just gone home.

"Come in. The door is open." she called, smiling in relief when her husband entered, yet frowning slightly (and a bit concernedly) when she saw that he now carried someone in his arms.

"Hajime? Who is this? Is he all right?" Tokio asked, as she stood and walked over to him; watching as he gently laid what appeared to be a young man down on a futon near her.

"He's fine. Just worn out." Saito murmured, his tone strangely subdued, yet also a bit tired as well.

"You look completely exhausted as well. Did you rush all the way from Kyoto to be here?" Tokio asked, getting a slight nod from Saito as he sat down on one of the mats, and leaned against the wall.

"Why? Am I in any danger?" Tokio questioned; unafraid for her own safety, yet concerned for her neighbors, and young Eiji. She didn't want them to get hurt because of her.

"No. Far from it." Saito replied, giving her an almost warm smile as he said that. Tokio could only manage a confused look.

"You don't normally rush home like this just to be with me, Hajime. And you usually don't bring guests, either...why did you do so this time?" Tokio questioned, somehow sensing that there was more to this than met the eye. After all, that was how they'd come to adopt Eiji, after all. The warmth in Saito's gaze didn't fade in the slightest.

"I found Okita-kun's son while I was in Kyoto." Saito replied, as realization emerged in Tokio's eyes, and as happy tears made their way down her face.

"Soshi's son! But how did your paths cross, Hajime?" Tokio asked, as she turned and looked closely at the young man that now slept there.

"I'll explain that later. All I can say, for right now, is that I am finally able to keep my promise to Okita-kun...And his spirit will finally be able to rest in peace." Saito murmured. Tokio nodded in agreement, as she happily brushed feather-soft fingers against Sojiro's face; seeing her long-dead cousin in his features.

"Welcome home, Okita Sojiro. You've come home at last." Tokio whispered, as a smile appeared on the sleeping teenager's face at that.

"_Finally. I have a place to call home._" Sojiro thought, as he allowed himself to drift into deeper slumber; secure in knowing that his long years of loneliness were over. And that was how it should be.

_**Owari**_

"_Love waits for me 'round the bend, leads me endlessly on. _

_Surely sorrows shall find their end, _

_And all of our troubles will be gone_

_And I'll know what I've lost, and all that I've won,_

_When this road finally takes me home._

"_Going Home" from 'Gods and Generals'_


End file.
